Spatial phase modulator

Abstract

A liquid-crystal spatial phase modulator includes: a liquid-crystal layer; a transparent electrode layer above the liquid-crystal layer; a lower electrode layer disposed below the liquid-crystal layer; a first heat-resistant layer that has higher thermal resistance than the transparent electrode layer and is disposed above and adjacent to the transparent electrode layer; and a second heat-resistant layer that has higher thermal resistance than the transparent electrode layer and is disposed between the transparent electrode layer and the liquid-crystal layer and adjacent to the transparent electrode layer. Light from above passes through the transparent electrode layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A liquid-crystal spatial phase modulator, comprising:
 a liquid-crystal layer; 
 a transparent electrode layer disposed above the liquid-crystal layer, wherein light from above passes through the transparent electrode layer; 
 a lower electrode layer disposed below the liquid-crystal layer; 
 a non-metal reflective layer disposed above the lower electrode layer and below the liquid-crystal layer, wherein the non-metal reflective layer has a multilayer structure of an inorganic material; 
 a first heat-resistant layer that has higher thermal resistance than the transparent electrode layer and is disposed above and adjacent to the transparent electrode layer; and 
 a second heat-resistant layer that has higher thermal resistance than the transparent electrode layer and is disposed between the transparent electrode layer and the liquid-crystal layer and adjacent to the transparent electrode layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The spatial phase modulator according to  claim 1 , wherein the first heat resistant layer and the second heat-resistant layer are inorganic-material layers. 
     
     
       3. The spatial phase modulator according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the transparent electrode layer is an indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent electrode layer, and 
 the first heat-resistant layer and the second heat-resistant layer have thermal resistance up to a temperature over 600 degrees Celsius. 
 
     
     
       4. The spatial phase modulator according to  claim 1 , wherein the first heat-resistant layer is a cover glass layer of sapphire or quartz. 
     
     
       5. The spatial phase modulator according to  claim 1 , wherein the second heat-resistant layer is an inorganic oriented film layer of silicon oxide (SiOX). 
     
     
       6. The spatial phase modulator according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an oriented film layer disposed above the liquid-crystal layer, wherein 
 the second heat-resistant layer is a thermal buffer layer disposed above the oriented film layer and that suppresses thermal transmission from the transparent electrode layer to the liquid-crystal layer. 
 
     
     
       7. The spatial phase modulator according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid-crystal layer does not contain a diphenylacetylene polymer material. 
     
     
       8. The spatial phase modulator according to  claim 1 , further comprising: a cooling structure that cools an interior and is disposed on a surface of the spatial phase modulator. 
     
     
       9. The liquid-crystal spatial phase modulator according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-metal reflective layer is disposed adjacently above the lower electrode layer and adjacently below the liquid-crystal layer. 
     
     
       10. A liquid-crystal spatial phase modulator, comprising:
 a cover glass layer; 
 a transparent electrode layer disposed below the cover glass layer; 
 a first oriented film layer disposed below the transparent electrode layer; 
 a liquid-crystal layer disposed below the first oriented film layer; 
 a second oriented film layer disposed below the liquid-crystal layer; and 
 a lower electrode layer disposed below the second oriented film layer; and 
 a non-metal reflective layer disposed between the second oriented film layer and the lower electrode layer, wherein 
 the non-metal reflective layer has a multilayer structure of an inorganic material, 
 the transparent electrode layer is an indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent electrode layer, 
 the cover glass layer is a glass layer of sapphire or quartz, and 
 the first oriented film layer and the second oriented film layer are inorganic oriented film layers of silicon oxide (SiOX). 
 
     
     
       11. The spatial phase modulator according  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a thermal buffer layer that suppresses thermal transmission from the transparent electrode layer to the liquid-crystal layer and is disposed between the transparent electrode layer and the first oriented film layer. 
 
     
     
       12. The liquid-crystal spatial phase modulator according to  claim 10 , wherein the non-metal reflective layer is disposed adjacently between the second oriented film layer and the lower electrode layer.